


Overture

by trikymia



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: College, I don't examine this, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Mentions of alcohol, Self Harm, Vandalism, but just slightly, hmmmm, pyromaniac
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-17
Updated: 2018-12-17
Packaged: 2019-09-21 02:30:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17034812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trikymia/pseuds/trikymia
Summary: One summer night, Mark got a text from Donghyuck, after the boy was missing for 2 weeks, Donghyuck asked him to bring his car and meet him in the park.Another late night drive, but with a slight hope, and another story to tell and unfold.





	Overture

**Author's Note:**

> Pls forgive me if there's any wrong i don't have time to proofread or ask my friend to proofread this :"

His feet is fidgeting around. Anxious, but cautious. Mark holds his breath as he feels the coldness from the bottled water under his jacket along with a stabbing sensation poking his abdomen when he unbuckled his seatbelt. God, at these times, Mark wishes he could’ve grabbed his winter jacket with a lot of pockets under it so he doesn’t have to stuff things in between his shirt and his jeans waistband.

But it’s not winter, and who is crazy enough to wear winter jacket on a summer night?

Mark is ready. He's more than ready. He loaded his car with compact first aid kit and small ice box filled with ice on the baggage; the small ice box was from Johnny and the days where Mark used to travel around with Johnny and Jaehyun through the night, speeding up in the highway with cold beer and stuff like dumb college kids then go home when the sun is rising.

But that's not the purpose he's bringing the icebox filled with ice only along with the first aid kit. It was all for whole different purpose. 

Mark makes sure Donghyuck doesn't know about it; about the ice box and the first aid kit. But judging Donghyuck, he might already know. Despite on how good Mark is at playing his "goody two shoes" traits and hid all the wicked one, still, for Donghyuck, Mark is a picture book; easy to decipher and expected at times.

So Mark is watching cautiously, when Donghyuck walks out of the car, playing his matches smoothly on his right hand, making a  _ cling-clack _ sounds along as he hums to the tune of Queen's song before Mark turns off the radio.

" _ I want to show you something _ " is what Donghyuck promised Mark. After whole week Donghyuck being mia, suddenly he's appearing out of nowhere, texting Mark to meet him on the park and bring his car along with him. He met the Donghyuck there, no greetings and just straight up took the shotgun, told the jet black haired boy to drive along and go with the direction that he gave. And Mark complied, didn't bother to ask or complain.  


It's classic Donghuck behaviour, and Mark already knows it.

So here they are, after 40 minutes drive to the side of the town near the river bank. There is small forest that is planted by the citizens to separate the river and the streets. People used to call this place as "blind spot" that most drivers avoid to pass because of high accident rate in the area and some rumors about horrible ghosts from the accidents roam around the street, searching for another victim to kill. The rumor did a good work, for it makes the place perfect for hiding and doing things because people would avoid the area around the street. Mark guesses that's why Donghyuck chose this place. It’s quiet, and nobody would bother to check whatever they’re going to do.

Mark gets out from the car, eyes following the younger boy's movement. Judging by the look, it seems Donghyuck knows this place way too well for he was also the one who gave Mark the directions. Mark locks the car and starts following Donghyuck who already walks inside the forest.

Their steps creaks as they walks over the dried leaves and branches. Mark pays attention to their surroundings as Donghyuck keeps walking few steps ahead from him "Where are we going?", he asked.   
"We're almost there" replies the younger, as Mark busy calculating their distance from his car that he just parked on the side of the road. Donghyuck seems to notices and looks back at Mark "No one's going to steal your ugly car, dumbo. It's not even worth a cent"

But they both know it's not the point. Mark just nods and then keep following the red haired boy to walks further inside the forest. It was a 3 minutes of walk until Donghyuck finally stops and looks around the place, "We're here"  
Mark raises his head as his eyes scans the places around them. They stopped near a black burnt spot; not too big and not too small, yet Mark knows the burn is not from too long ago. The place near them is cleaned, like a little hidden spot for small campfire for one or two person. Donghyuck gives a sign for Mark to wait on where he stands as Donghyuck walks near one of the trees. Later he brings out two books and a bottle filled with liquid. Donghyuck puts the book right in the center of burn spot before he proceed to open the bottle and then the smells fill the air around them.

It's gasoline.

As Donghyuck calmly pours half of it to the book and make a small gasoline line near his feet. He puts down the bottle beside the other book and then he pulls out his lighter, making a classic clang sound before giving a spark to the gasoline line.

In seconds, the place around them brightened in yellow-orange light, as the fire starts to grow and eats the book along with the dried leaves around the fire spot. Mark watches in awe as each page starts to turn and burn when the wind blows hits the flame; revealing some photos and little notes inside, a children photos, a family, and a brothers. _ What an irony for such a nice pictures being eaten by the flames _ , he thinks, as he and Donghyuck watch the album book burns, watching the blackened edges ignites into white thin line of light before turning into white ashes that are blown away with the wind

Before the flame burns out. Donghyuck grabs another unburnt book with his left hand; it was another family album. Donghyuck opens it in the middle as his right hand grabs the bottle and pours the remaining gasoline that is left onto the book on his hand. The liquid is dripping from the book, to his wrist then catch the fire beneath them.

The next second, the flames goes up, ignites the book along with his left hand as the younger watch the flame in adoration. Mesmerizing and captivating for the younger, but the sight triggers Mark's reflect, as he runs towards the red haired boy to swat the book from Donghyuck's hand and push the younger to the ground, violently removing the jacket Hyuck wears and throws it away from them before Mark pulls a small fire blanket he hid under the jacket, unfold it and wraps it around Hyuck's hand. Hyuck grunts a bit, because of the pain when he fell to the ground, on how Mark violently removes his jacket, and on the stinging feelings from the burnt and tightening pressure around his left hand when Mark tightly wraps his hand with the white fabrics. Unlike Mark whose breathing is like running for a mile, Donghyuck is rather calm, from anything that just happened, as his eyes watches the older presses his hand down to the ground to put out the flames "Mark, it hurts"

Mark snaps at the word and shifts his focus from Hyuck's hand to his face. Hyuck is flinching a bit from the pain but his eyes are the same dark and dull like how Mark saw two weeks ago before he started missing.   


Mark unwraps the fire blanket to see the blistering skin underneath, a second degree burn is covering Hyuck's whole hand and over his wrist. Mark quickly grabs the cold water bottle he hid under his jacket and pours it over Hyuck's hand to cool the burns and dilutes away the gasoline. Hyuck groans over the sharp stinging pain on his hand, making Mark moves over his body and proceeds to sits beside him, emptied the water bottle before he tossed it away. Donghyuck finally sits up and gives an annoyed look at Mark, but Mark isn’t having any of it this time.   


"That was dangerous" hisses the older. Donghyuck tilts his head and looks away, he doesn’t bother to reply Mark. He looks away and gives a glance to the burning book. He was silent for a little while, before he starts asking "But don't you think it's beautiful? In how powerful the fire is, turning everything into ashes"   
"You could get burnt "   
"Honestly, i don't mind"   


Donghyuck watches the fire fondly burns the remains of album book Mark just swatted off. No matter how much the younger comply and explains the beauty that resides in flames, Mark would never get it. Hyuck's face softens at the view of dancing flames, he mutters under his breath with the softest voice ever, "Give it up Markiepoo. They'll send me to the asylum when they found out, anyway"   
"What are you talking about?"

Hyuck shifted his gaze and look at the older boy, with the same dark gaze that rests in his eyes "My brother, Mark. I killed him"

The words send Mark back to the news that he watched on the TV yesterday, about big fire incidents on the neighbor town 3 days ago. 2 apartments were burnt down but thankfully, no one dies in the incident. Further investigation said it's an act of vandalism. The suspect hadn't been caught yet.   
Then Mark remember when Johnny said that Hyuck has family on the said neighbor town. It was easier than one plus one as Mark pulls all the pieces altogether.

No one dies in the accident. Mark looks at the younger, seeking for more answers but Donghyuck is avoiding his gaze. Mark tried to hold his sigh for another time.

Indeed, more than anyone, Mark knows. And everyone else that are close to Hyuck knows, no matter how messed up he is inside, Hyuck doesn't have the heart to end up someone's life. It's just the idea that he kills his own brother in his mind.   
If there’s anything Hyuck wants to end, more than anything, it's himself.

“You said to me that the flames could burn me, right?”, mutters Donghyuck, his gaze aren’t leaving the flickering flame, "It's ok if i get burn. I'll go with the ashes, they gives me warmth" answers the younger nonchalantly.

_ But that's not what you're looking for. If you really wants that, you wouldn't ask me to go here with you. _

"Did Johnny knows about this?" asks Mark carefully. Hyuck shakes his head "It's better if he doesn't"

He’s right, if Johnny knows about this, he’d be panic, and that’s not a good idea.

"Can we stay a little while?" asks Hyuck softly, he begs at Mark with pleading eyes "Until the fire burns out?"

_ What did you want? What's on your mind? Please tell me. _

But Mark found himself nods at the request, he’ll save his question for later then. Donghyuck slips out a smile, before he turns his head and watches the fire flickering around the fire spot, watching the fire tries its hardest to burn the rest of the book under the hard summer wind. Mark decides to sit beside him.

"I talked to him" said Hyuck, his eyes aren't moving from the flames "He said i killed mom, and making troubles, and -not some nice things"

"He said i ruin the family apart, and yeah, he's right though"

Mark sighed softly at the sight of their little firespot, he remembered what Jeno said back then, when Hyuck on his therapy and rehab phase after he was being caught burning a car. Now Hyuck is burning a whole building and honestly, Mark doesn't know what could happen next if Donghyuck didn't contact him earlier. He doesn’t want to imagine any of it.

_"I know what's on your mind, Mark. He's like a brother to me, and more than a friend to you. But mind you, we both know he's on a wrong side and i hope you know what to_ do"  
Jeno's words repeated again in his mind, _For fuck's sake Jeno, i know what to do. You don't need to tell me twice or thrice_.  
Mark's priorities now is to save Hyuck, and at this point, he only hopes that he's doing the right thing.

Mark steals a glance at the red haired boy. Hyuck lets his burnt hand hanging on his knees, get cooled by the faint summer breeze. Eyes are locked at the sight of the burning books, adoring every seconds on how the fire eats the book from the edge to its core, turning every pages and photos into white ashes that disappears along with the breeze. Enjoying every second of the faint warmth that the fire radiates while it lasts.   
"Be honest with me Mark" mutters the younger barely above a whisper "Why an idiot shithead like me ever deserve to be alive? "

And words are sharp like razor, whether it comes in harshful tone or beautifully sang in harmony.

Hyuck had heard enough bad words addressed to him. Curses and slurs and countless thing that was too wicked to say, which makes Mark questioned it sometimes, for why God says that human are created with heart when human itself can spawn some dirty words without thinking about the others?

He can see the younger grits his teeth and his hand balls up into a fist, watching on how anger and desperation builds and eats the younger boy. Mark doesn’t know, if he had the right answer for the question itself, so he chooses to stand up from his place and take off his jacket, he drapes it over the younger shoulder and pat his red hair softly. The younger rise his head to look at the latter, his eyes demand an answer, yet there's a little sparks of hope too inside those round eyes.   
"The world is just mean. And you just have a broken soul, Hyuck"

And that was the first time, the lights might be dim from the fire and moonlight that shines through the trees, but Mark sees it clearly. A tear falls from the side of Hyuck's right eye, making a tear stain along his cheek before it falls to the ground.

Hyuck never shows himself cries in front of his friends, no matter how much his friends know the latter cries, the younger always able to cover it as yawning or remembering a sad movie moment.

" _ You know he's wrong and you know what to do _ " Jeno's words are ringing on his ears again as Mark squats beside the younger boy, the younger's round eyes follow his movement and watches his movements carefully. Jeno is right, Hyuck indeed needs help. Hyuck is smart and all but if anything, still he needs a little push. And maybe Mark and Johnny aren't enough to be his support alone. Mark might be considering Jeno's suggestion by signing Hyuck to a new therapist, which happens to be Jeno's senior in Psychology major, so Mark can trust him a little bit because it's Jeno and Jeno never means any harm. And it's been so long since Hyuck ditched his last therapy sessions. Maybe it's time to start over again. He just hopes that Hyuck would accept the request and it would work better this time.

Because despite anything, Hyuck deserves all the goodness in the world. As Mark raises his hand and wipes the tear stain on the younger's face, giving him a reassuring smile "We should go home. We need to heal that hand of yours, okay?"

Hyuck gives him a questioning look, but then, he lets out a sheepish smile "Geez, i wonder why you loves to stuck with a mess like me"

"Because i love you, you dumb idiot" he smiles, as his hand finds its way to pinch the red haired boy's cheek. Donghyuck groans, and keep protesting up until Mark finally stop to play with his cheeks, he pouts because Mark can't stop giggling at him, "And because you also deserve to be happier too, Hyuckie. I want you to be well and happy. You deserve to be happy too"

Donghyuck froze at the words. His heart do its weird thing again, and now it feels soothing. He blinks for a moment, trying to understand the weird feeling but somehow, now he kind of understand why he tried to called Mark first than any other people he could name. Before he realises, he just cries harder when he understands why.

Because it's Mark Lee, and he trust Mark this much. Because Mark is gentle and makes him feel happy and safe. Because Mark won't let anybody does harm to him, not on his watch

And nobody would mess with Mark too, not on Donghyuck's watch.

"Done staring at handsome me?" teases Mark playfully as he wipes off his tears with the edge of his sleeves, Donghyuck just pouts harder at him, making the latter laugh at the sight. Mark stands up and reaches out his hand "Come on, let's go home"

Home. That feels weird. Yet, it sounds like a good idea.

So Hyuck takes Mark's hand and stands up too, dusting some sticking leaves on his clothes before he follows Mark to walk out from the forest. He never lets go of Mark's hand. Never, up until they reaches the side of the road again when Mark parked his car. They come inside the car, Mark is quickly starting the car and turning on the ac while Hyuck is turning on the radio, blasting another 90's hits through the speaker. Mark was about to hit the gas pedal when Hyuck calls him softly "Markie?"

"Yes?"

There's so much things are running inside his mind. Donghyuck gazes at the road in front of them, trying to avoid the older's gaze that is starting to bore his head open. He takes a deep breath before he finally calms himself

"Thank you. So much. For everything, you know. Thank you for saving me"

Mark is a millimeter close to cry his eyes out of happiness upon hearing those words. There's still hope lefts on Hyuck's words, and a long road for them to go. He takes a long breath, can't help himself but smiling widely at the road in front of them as he starts driving the car away from that place. He can sense it, a new start, a new day, and a better beginning ahead. Donghyuck trusts him, and it's more than enough. As the younger snuggling in content into his jacket, Mark can't help but smile.

"Anytime, hyuck. Anytime"

**Author's Note:**

> Please note that i don't justify any of the actions. I only borrow their name and appearance.  
> Please stay healthy and keep your mental health in check. Contact your closest one or someone professional for help.  
> Forgive me if there's any wrong in my description and the story. I tried to picture and learn my best.  
> Don't forget to be kind, and happy too, on your proggress
> 
> Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoy it.


End file.
